


free me from my love

by kitkatwrites



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Greek Mythology AU, Jealousy, M/M, Murder, semi-hopeful ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27584255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitkatwrites/pseuds/kitkatwrites
Summary: Atsumu has never tried to pretend that he’s a good person, just as truth is never pleasing and prophecies are never nice. The only part of Atsumu’s sphere of control that he pretends is kind is his archery; a well-placed arrow to the eye is a swifter death than most. So when Shouyou, in all his beauty, walks into his life, he knows that his death will be neither swift nor pleasant.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu, Hinata Shouyou/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	free me from my love

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I’m posting for the second day in a row cause I took a break from college apps yesterday and just never stopped. I hope y’all enjoy?? Or cry?? Or both??

Atsumu has never tried to pretend that he’s a good person, just as truth is never pleasing and prophecies are never nice. The only part of Atsumu’s sphere of control that he pretends is kind is his archery; a well-placed arrow to the eye is a swifter death than most. So when Shouyou, in all his beauty, walks into his life, he knows that his death will be neither swift nor pleasant.

They meet at a mortal party. It’s the wedding of someone Atsumu never bothered to figure out, but hey, free wine is free wine. He winds through the crowd with a glass in hand, admiring the guests, when he spots him: Shouyou Hinata, god of beauty and desire, and the most handsome man alive. He’s dancing by himself, his pale blue chiton flowing as he moves, spinning round and round until he gets dizzy and collapses to the floor with a laugh so full of joy that it pulls at Atsumu’s heartstrings.

Setting his glass down on a random table, Atsumu makes his way over to the man. “Need a hand?” He asks with a charming grin, extending his right hand in front of Shouyou, who looks at him as if he’d hung the moon and the stars. Well, not literally, because that was Osamu’s job and Atsumu wasn’t going to let his brother steal yet another man from him.

“Thank you,” Shouyou smiles as he reaches for Atsumu, placing a soft hand in Atsumu’s calloused one. Atsumu moves to pull him up and forgets his strength, yanking Shouyou up so fast that his face collides into Atsumu’s chest.

“Oh my gods I’m so sorry!” Atsumu exclaims, pulling Shouyou away from his chest. “Are you alright?” Shouyou nods furiously, his face bright red.

“Never been better,” he squeaks, refusing to make eye contact with Atsumu.

“Do you…” Atsumu trails off, face heating up alongside Shouyou’s. He realizes he’s still holding the man’s hand and yanks his hand back, face growing even redder. “Do you want to dance?”

“With me?” Shouyou gapes at him.

“Do you see anyone else who is anywhere as nearly pretty as you?” Atsumu asks with a grin, regaining his composure.

“You,” Shouyou admits before slapping a hand over his mouth with a squeak.

Atsumu stares at him blankly before bursting out laughing. “Usually I’d accept the praise, but I could never hope to compare to you,” he chuckles.

“I--I’m Shouyou Hinata,” the man stammers.

“I know,” Atsumu tells him. “I’m Atsumu Miya.”

Shouyou gasps, stepping back so quickly that he almost tumbles to the floor. “I’m so sorry, I feel like I should be bowing,” he apologizes, his face looking close to bursting into flames.

“No need to be afraid, after all, I’m the one who offered a hand to you,” Atsumu reminds him, “and please, don’t feel like you have to praise me. Usually I’d accept the praise in full, but for you, you could never open your mouth again and I’d still adore you.”

“Y-you adore me?” Shouyou squeaks out.

“You’re the most gorgeous man alive,” Atsumu praises. “Now, how about that dance?” He holds a hand out to Shouyou, who stares at it for a couple seconds before reaching out hesitantly to place his hand on top of Atsumu’s once more. Atsumu tightens his grip, grabs Shouyou’s waist, and begins to dance.

~

Soon, they become lovers; their love is passionate and bright, and Atsumu revels in it. Dancing with flames, he laughs when he is burned, and goes back for more.

“ I love you ,” Atsumu whispers for the first time against tan skin.

“Say it again,” Shouyou murmurs, carding his fingers through Atsumu’s hair.

“I love you.”

“Again.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you, Shouyou Hinata, for now and all of eternity,” Atsumu swears, and the Fates begin to measure a fiery red string.

~

Shouyou is the god of beauty and desire, and Atsumu has never desired someone more in his immortal life. He writes poems and hymns that would put the Muses to shame, and when he can no longer find words to describe Shouyou’s beauty, he lets his body do the rest.

He understands that Shouyou is not his; Shouyou belongs to both himself and the world, for the world would be a much darker place without him; even darker than if Atsumu pulled the sun out of the sky for all eternity, plunging the universe into darkness.

He also understands that Atsumu is not Shouyou’s only lover: Kiyoomi Sakusa, god of sexual love and beauty, has let himself fall prey to Shouyou’s charms just as much as Atsumu has. 

Shouyou flits between their beds, and while he may sometimes grow jealous of Kiyoomi for sharing time with Shouyou that the fiery-haired god could have spent with Atsumu, he remains silent.

Silent, of course, until he catches wind of his son, his dearly beloved son, having been blinded by Kiyoomi.

The day he hears the news has been unremarkable at most, until Osamu stumbles into his chambers, breathing heavily.

“It’s Heisuke,” he pants, gripping the doorframe.

“What?” Atsumu asks sternly, but the tremble in his voice gives away his panic.

“Kiyoomi blinded him,” Osamu tells him, and Atsumu feels like the wind has just been knocked out of his chest.

“He stumbled upon Kiyoomi and Shouyou…” Osamu continues, “…together. Kiyoomi blinded him in a rage.”

A strange sense of calm rushes over Atsumu as he moves to the door, standing in front of his brother. “I’m going out,” he tells him, almost robotic in both his voice and actions.

“Where?” Osamu asks, concern bleeding into his voice. Concern for Atsumu, he realizes. It doesn’t matter, Atsumu decides. After all, he’s not the one getting hurt.

~

Atsumu makes his way to the forest where Heisuke had been blinded, unsure of what would happen once he got there, while simultaneously having a clear idea of what he would do. What he would  _ have  _ to do, he tells himself. It’s easier to process that way, if he sees this more out of necessity than revenge.

The second he catches him out of the corner of his eye, he knows his fate is sealed. Shouyou sits on a rock overlooking a pool, the water crystal clear and completely still. He hums a tune: one of the songs Atsumu wrote for him, he realizes, and he feels his heartstrings tighten.

_ Do it for Heisuke, _ he tells himself, _ do it to hurt Kiyoomi, to destroy what he loves most in the world. _

Gathering his courage, he transforms into a boar, running straight towards Shouyou with fury in his eyes and pain in his heart.

Hearing Atsumu’s heavy steps, Shouyou turns his head towards the noise before stumbling off of the rock with a shout, and running into the forest. Not to be deterred, Atsumu follows in hot pursuit, running faster until he can see the dust kicked up by Shouyou’s heels.

Willing himself to speed up just a fraction faster, Atsumu bucks his head, knocking Shouyou to the ground. The man shrieks as Atsumu tramples over him with his hooves until Shouyou’s cries turn into whines of pain, until finally, Atsumu watches the last shred of light fade from his eyes.

_ How tragic it is, _ Atsumu thinks,  _ to watch the light of the world be extinguished. _

Atsumu turns back into a god and kneels at Shouyou’s side, and begins to sob. He wants to touch Shouyou--to grab him and hold on and never let go--but he doesn’t deserve to touch him, not now, not ever. Not after what he’s just done.

When he’s done crying, Atsumu stands, and leaves Shouyou’s body where it lays for Kiyoomi to find.

~

Kiyoomi comes to Atsumu a week later; not to blame, but to cry.  _ He doesn’t know,  _ Atsumu realizes.  _ Kiyoomi doesn’t know that I killed Shouyou. _

The thought of telling Kiyoomi is tempting; maybe then, Atsumu will get the punishment he deserves. Yet he doesn’t, in the end. He simply lets Kiyoomi cry, and Atsumu listens.

~

“I loved him, I truly did,” Kiyoomi sobs, clutching a decorative pillow snatched from Atsumu’s bed, and Atsumu feels his heart shatter. Not for Kiyoomi, but for Shouyou. For what Atsumu did to him, what he had destroyed.

“There’s a rock,” Atsumu says, his eyes avoiding Kiyoomi’s.

“A-a what?” Kiyoomi sniffles and wipes his tears off of red-tinted cheeks.

“A rock,” Atsumu repeats, “in Kypros. It’s said that if you throw yourself off, you’ll be freed from your love. It’s called the Rock of Leukade.”

“Will you take me?” Kiyoomi asks hopefully. Atsumu nods.

“Of course.”

~

They stand at the top of a rocky cliff overlooking the Mediterranean, wind running wild through their hair as it whistles past. Kiyoomi stands at the edge with his arms crossed and peers over into the waters below.

“And once I jump, I’ll be free of my love for Shouyou?” Kiyoomi asks, eyes still red and puffy from his tears.

“A hundred percent,” Atsumu assures him. He stands several feet behind, well away from the edge. Being freed from his love isn’t something he deserves, isn't something he’s earned. They say the gods are perfect beings, setting the standard for humanity, but Atsumu feels like the lowest of the low. He’s no better than the men he’s struck with his arrows; worse even. He doesn’t deserve a quick death.

“Alright,” Kiyoomi exhales. He steps closer to the edge--one strong gust of wind away from falling--and spreads his arms out, so it almost looks like he’s attempting to fly.

Kiyoomi takes another breath, and steps off the edge, falling, falling, falling into the forgiving waves below.

_ Those who dive from the top of the rock were, it is said, free from their love and for this reason: after the death of Adonis, Aphrodite, it is said, wandered around searching for this. She found it in Argos, a town of Kypros, in the sanctuary of Apollon Erithios and ‘l’emporta’ after having told Apollon in confidence the secret of her love for Adonis. And Apollon brought her to the Rock of Leukade and ordered her to throw herself from the top of the rock; she did so and was freed from her love. _

_ -Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History Book 7 _

**Author's Note:**

> I’m on [twitter](https://twitter.com/gr1lledcheesy)


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